As holidaymakers descend on beaches and public pools along KwaZulu-Natal’s coast, authorities are calling on residents and visitors to prioritise safety around water.
uMhlathuze Deputy Mayor Christo Botha has voiced concern over a recurring trend during the festive season children being left unattended while adults consume alcohol.
He says this pattern, seen year after year, contributes to preventable tragedies. “Parents don’t take proper care of their kids, or even themselves. They choose unsafe swimming spots, enter the water while intoxicated and are unfamiliar with the designated areas. They get into trouble, panic, and sadly, drown,” he warned.
Botha added that overcrowding at swimming pools remains a major issue, making it difficult for caregivers to keep track of young children. “If a pool is meant for 50 people and a hundred arrive, parents become distracted, and children go unwatched,” he said.
To bolster safety, the municipality has hired 27 additional lifeguards who will be stationed at beaches and pools throughout the festive period. Residents and tourists are encouraged to use the city’s designated swimming areas, including Alkanstrand, Palm Beach, Newark Beach, Bayhall Beach and Port Durnford Beach.
Municipal pools are available in Esikhaleni, Brackenham, Arboretum, Empangeni, Aquadene, Meerensee, Nseleni and Ngwelezane.
Botha says all facilities are fully prepared to welcome the public, with trained lifeguards deployed at every official swimming location to help prevent drowning incidents during the busy season.